Vehicle direction signal



Nov. 13, 1928.

F. P. CARPENTER VEHICLE DIRECTION SIGNAL INVENTOIL Fee/:raar @www ATTORNEY', v

,.- -Ei1;dSept. 1, 1927 FUE Patented Nov. 13,` 192s.

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Application filed SeptemberV My invention relates to `vehicle direction signalling means, more particularly to manually operated means for indicating the directions a vehicle is labout to take, and the objects of my invention are: First, to provide a device of this class which is visible from the drivers seat, thus the driver can always observe whether or not the device is functioning; second, to provide a device of this class which is adapted to be placed in a position from which drivers of other vehicles expect to see signa-ls; third, to provide a device of this class which is simply controlled byl alever positionedunder the steering column of a. ve-k hicle.; fourth, to provide a device of this class which is especially adapted Lfor closed rvehicles; liftlnto provide a vdevice of this class which can be built in the side of a vehicle, thus. having no exposed Yparts when in its closed position; sixth, to provide a device of this class in which the arrow head folds up in the case thereby permitting` the case to be of a minimum width, just wide venough to accommodate the arrow shaft; seventh, to provide a device of this class which `is compact and simple of construction;y eighth, to provide a device visible from both front and rear of the vehicle` and ninth, to provide a device of f this class whichis'positive in its action, easily installed, durable, efhcient in its action, and which. will not readily deteriorate or get .out of order.

Vlith these and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction', combination and arrangement ,of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and .nore'particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the ac-v companying `drawings and to the characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application, in which:

1 a. diagrammatic view of my sigA nalling apparatus, showingits relation to a vehicle. the vehicle being shown Ain outline by dotted lines; Fig. 2 aside elevationalview of my signalling device when in' its .closed posit-ion; 3' is a sectional view thereof throng f Fig. S2 and with the signalling means inone of its extended positions; Fig. Il is an .enlarged transverse sectional view there of through ff-fof Fig. 3 q 5 is a sectional view of the signal actuating means through 5 5 of F' -6 with parte and portions shown in ele.. to facilitate the illustration;

., f is a sectional view .thereof at right 1, 1927. serial No. 216851.

angles to Fig. 5 through 6 6 of Fig. 5 with parts and portions shown in elevation to facilitate the illustration.

Similar Vcharacters of reference refe-r to similar parts and port-ions` throughout the several views of the drawings.

The casing l, pinion 2, arrow shafts 3 and 4C, arrow headv members 5. and 46, cable 7, cable guide 8, quadrant segments 9 and 10, clamp l1, bolt V12, signalling actuating lever 13, spring- 14, connecting link 15, cable end clamp 1.6, constitute the principal parts and portions Vof my vehicle direction signalling apparatus.

The casing 1 is channel shaped-and closed at its ends, thus forming a comparatively long, narrow, rectangular casing for the signalling indicator. side of the casing 1 is provided with` lugs 1f?, which extend past the end of the casing and which are provided with vholes therethrough y for screws or bolts for fastening the device on the vehicle. i

The signalling indicator consists of two shafts which are mounted on a pinion 2 which extends through the side walls of the casing 1. The shafts and arrow heads are preferably made of sheet metal cut tothe desired width, and two arrow headimembers at the extended ends ofsaid shafts. The supported end of the arrow shaft 3 is made considerably thicker than the body of the shaftA so as to space it from the arrow shaft 4C, as shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawings. TheI extendedV ends of theshafts 3A and Llare tapered and come to a blunt point. The shaft?) is provided with a hole therethrough near the lower edge and near its extended end. Extending through .the hole is a pinion 3f von which isl pivotally mounted the one vend of the arrow f head member o. Thel arrowhead member 5 is provided with an extended lug 5 attheone end 4thereof through which extends theu pinion 3F.

The other end of the arrow head V5 is bevelled so that when it is in the position shown in Fig.

The back or supporting Jeu 3 of the drawings the unsupportedend ofthe arrow head extends outwardly and upwardly from the unsupported end of the arrow shaft. On the longer or outer edge ofthe arrow head 5 is another lug-5b which extends up from .the

face of the arrow head and engages the sidey edge of the arrow shaft 3 .thus limiting the pivotal ymovement of the .arrow head 5 in relation .to the'shatt 3 as ,shown best in Fig. of the drawings. Centered .on the longitudinal axis the shaft 3 near its extended end, is agnother hole through which extends a pinion 3",

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its one end on the arrow head 3b is a pinion 6.

The pinion is further secured to the arrow y.shaft 4l by means of a pinion 1C which is positioned at the center of the circle of which the arcuate slot 1lb is an are of. longitudinal movement ot the shaft ll in relation to the shaft 3 causes the arrow head e to rotate on its pivotal axis and the movement thereof is limited by the length o" the slot 1lb. The supported endnoic the shaft l is pivotally mounted onthe pinion 2 by means of an inverted L shaped slot 4a therein which, when the shaft is :noved irom the one end of the slot lu to the other, causes'it to travel in a longitudinal movement in relation to the shaft 3 and thus actuate 'the arrow head G. The slot la tends to maintain the arrow head in either open or closed position as desired. The shaft 1 extends above its pivotal point a short distance forming al lug ed. An actuating cable 7 which is formed from stili' yet resilient wire, extends downwardly into the body of the vehicle through a slot 1h in the casing 1 and is connected to the arrow shalt l by a U-shaped connecting member 7 a the legs et which extend on either side ot the lug` 4i and permit a pivotal connection ot the cable with the i'illaifli d".

The weight ot the arrow head 5 causes it to assume the position shown by solid lines in Fig. 3 of the drawings as soon as the shafts 3 and l clear the casing.V The upper arrow head is moved to its extended position when the shaltl is pulled downwardly by the cable 7 and is supported on the pinion 2 by the upper portion ot the slot et. Vilhcnthe arrow shait e is pushed upV 7ardly by the cable 7 the arrow head is moved to its closed position as shown by the dotted lines showing the closed position in Fig. 3.

The cable 7 connects the signa-l indicator or arrow i .i the igual actuating means and is encased in a cable cover 8 whi.clrmay be either flexible or comparatively non-iioxible according to the number ot turns necessary.

The signalling actuating means is preferably located just underneath the steering post A, or may be positioned any other place which is convenient for the driver.

` The signalling actuating` means consists ot thereto by means of the bolt 12 which extends through the casing members 9 and 10 and holds the clamp and casingmembers together. The bolt 12 also serves as the bearing or pinion for the signalling actuating lever 13. The signalling actuating lever U13/extends through the curved side of the casings 9 and 10 and is provided with a handle means at the extended end thereof. A Y

The casing 9 is provided with a plurality of spaced apart grooves 9gl in the arcuate edge thereof adjacent to the arcuate edge of the casing 10. rlhe casing 10 has a single groove 10'um which extendsthe Vwhole length ot the slots 9UL and thus fo ms with the casing 9 therewith a long slot withoffset portions eX- tending therefrom. The slot thus formed is equal in length to the arc through which the lever 1b passes.

Secured to the one side of the actuating lever 13 is a spring 14 which gressesagainst the side of the casing 1() and tends to force the actuating lever into the slots 9a. By pressing the lever towarc s the casing 10 into the slot 10, the lever 13 can be moved to any desired position. As each slot 9 corresponds to a signallingl position of the indicator the lever 13 can be moved to a desired position Vopposite or near 9a and released, the indicator will then be held in position. The actuating lever 13 is connected to the cable 7 by means olf a link member 15 which is pivotally connected to theactuating lever 13. rQ lheother end of the link 15 is connected to a clamp meniber lll which clamps the end olv the cable7. 'ihe clamp member 15 consists of apiece oi metal doubled over and provided with a longitudinally extending opening lor the cable 'i'. liugs extend from one side of the clamp through which extends a 'screw 16 which` when tightened, clamps the two halves et the metal tightly to the cable 7. Thus, when assemblingI the device, vthe cable is passed through the clamp member 16 until the cable is oi the right length and the actuating means is positioned at its proper place, then the end of the cable is cut oil and. the clamp member clamped over. The asing membersy 9 and 1() have oppositely disposed, seini-cylindrical openings extending from the sidev 'thereof near their supported portioinonly one halt ot" the semi-cylindrical openings being` shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. rThe semicylindrical portions 9b are provided with lugs through which extends a screwy i'or clamping the end ot the cable support or cable covering. The cable covering may be cut oil at any desired length and clamped similar to the method of clamping the cable 7. means whereby the cable and covering may be easily made the desired length ior any vehicle is provided.

The operation of the device is as follows: VVhenno signal is desired the indicating arrow is in its folded position as shown by the first set of dotted lines in Fig. 3 oit the drawings, and the actuating'lever is in the `position shown by the solid lines in F ig. 5 otfthe drawings. As the actuating lever 13 is moved in the slot 10al tothe position shown by upper set ot dotted lines'in Fig. v5', theindicator Thus a .is moved from its closed position to the position shown by .the upwardly extending set of dotted lines shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. By placing the notches 9L at intervals the lever 13 holds the indicating means in the different desired positions as shown by the different sets of dotted lines and the solid lines shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

It will be noted that by positioning the device as shown by Fig. l, that the indicating means is always in plain view of the driver and he can easily observe whether the device is operating ornot.

hough I have shown and described a par ticular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a signalling means of the class described, a casing, an indicating means pivotally mounted therein, said indicating means comprising a pair of independently pivoted, relatively shiftalole shafts, a pair of arrow head members, one of said arrow head members pivotally connected to one of said shafts, and a second arrow head pivotally mounted in said shaft actuated by the longitudinal movement of one shaft in relation to the other.

2. In a signalling means of the class described, a casing, an indicating means pivotally mounted therein, said indicating means comprising a pair of independently 'pivoted, relatively shiftable shafts, a pair of arrow head members, one of said arrow head members pivotally connected to one of said shafts, a second arrow7 head pivotally mounted in said shaft actuated bythe longitudi nal movement of one shaft in relation to thc other. and said arrow heads adapted to fold iiush with the edges f said shaft when said shafts are in said casing.

3. In a signalling means of the class described, a casing, an indicating means pivotally mounted therein, said indicatingmeans comprising a pivoted arrow shaft, an arrow head mounted in limited pivotal relation to said shaft, aI second pivoted arrow sh aft longitudinally shiftable relative to said first shaft, and a second arrow head pivotally mounted in said arrow shaft.

il. In a signalling means of the class described, a casing, an indicating means pivotally mounted therein, said indicating means comprising an arrow shaft, an arrow head mounted in limited pivotal relation to said shaft, a second arrow shaft, a second arrow head pivotally mounted in said arrow shaft, said second mentioned arrow head operated by the longitudinal movement of said second mentioned shaft in relation to said first mentioned shaft, and said first mentioned arrow head operated by gravity.

5. In a signalling means of the class described, a casing, an indicating means pivotally mounted therein, said indicating means comprising an arrow shaft, an arrow head mounted in limited pivotal relation to said shaft, a second arrow shaft, a second arrow head pivotallyl mounted in said arrow shaft, said second mentioned arrow head operated by the longitudinal movement of said second mentioned shaft in relation to said first mentioned shaft, and saidffirst mentioned arrow head operated by gravity, and said arrow heads adapted to fold flush with the edges of said shafts when said shafts are in said easing.

6. In a signalling means of the class de- ;cribed, a casing, a pivot pin supported atv one end thereof, a pair of spaced apart parallel disposed fiat shafts pivoted at their one end on said pin, one of said shafts having an arcuate slot for receiving said pin and allowing for slight longitudinal and lateral movement relative to the other shaft, and an arrowhead member collapsibly mounted at the free end of said shafts and means actuated by the relative movement of said shaft for causing said arrowhead member to be laterally extended relative to said shaft when t-he latter are moved out of said casing, and means for actuating said shaft.

7. In a signalling means of the class described, a casing, a pivot pin supported at one end thereof, a pair of spaced apart parallel disposed flat shafts pivoted at their one end on said pin and allowing for slight longitudinal and lateralmovement relative to the other shaft, an arrowhead member positioned between the outer ends of said shafts, pivotally mounted on one of said shafts and means actuated by the relative movement of said shaft for causing said arrowhead member to be laterally extended relative to said shaft, a second gravity operated arrowhead member pivotally secured to the outer end of said shaft and means for actuating said shaft. f

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Diego, California, this th day of August, 1927. I

FREDERICK P. CARPENTER. 

